Optical/visual triangulation for sighting archery bows

ABSTRACT

A sighting assembly for archery bows which utilizes optical and visual triangulation is disclosed. A directionalized beam of light from a light source assembly is impinged upon the center of a remote target from an archery bow or an arrow along the axis of the arrow while the archer aligns the peep sight of a drawn bow string and the pin sight so that the resulting line of view of the archer intersects the beam of light at the center of the target. Thus, the bow is sighted without launching an arrow.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of sighting archery bows and more particular to novel optical/visual triangulation technology for sighting archery bows, which is highly accurate, entirely safe at all locations and does not require one or more arrow test shots at a sighting target.

BACKGROUND

Heretofore, archery bows have been sighted by adjusting a pin sight on a bow handle in relation to a peep sight on a bow string, when fully retracted or drawn, and, thereafter, by shooting an arrow at a target to ascertain the differential between the center of the target and the impact location of the arrow. This process is repeated, trial and error, as many times as necessary until the arrow, when correctly shot, impinges near the center of the target. This approach can take hours and sometimes days and is limited, by safety concerns, to sighting in out of doors location or in a closed shooting gallery. It can not be used at the counter of a retail store.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

In brief summary, the present invention overcomes or substantially alleviates problems of the prior art in the field of sighting archery bows by using optical/visual triangulation. A directionalized beam of light from a light source assembly carried by an archery bow or an arrow is beamed along the axis of the arrow and impinged upon the center of a remote target. The archer aligns the peep sight of a drawn bow string and the adjustable pin sight so that the resulting visual line of view of the archer intersects the beam of light at the center of the target. Thus, the bow is sighted without launching an arrow.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a primary object of the invention to overcome or substantially alleviate problems of the prior art in the field of sighting archery bows by using optical/visual triangulation.

Another, paramount object is the provision of novel structure and methodology by which a directionalized beam of light is impinged upon the center of a remote target from an archery bow or an arrow along the axis of the arrow while the archer aligns the peep sight of a drawn bow string and the pin sight on the bow handle so that the resulting line of view of the archer intersects the beam of light at the center of the target.

A further important object is the provision of a structural combination and methodology by which an archery bow is sighted without launching an arrow.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic representations of two triangulation embodiments of the present invention by which an archery bow is sighted;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective, with a portion broken away showing how an optical assembly in accordance with the present invention may be reliably, though releasably connected to the distal end of an arrow;

FIG. 3A is an elevation of another way to complete the electrical current of the optical assembly;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective showing the components of the optical assembly of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end-view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an end-view taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention comprises novel optical/visual triangulation technology for sighting archery bows. The technology is highly accurate, entirely safe at all locations and does not require that one or more arrows be shot in order to sight an archery bow using the present invention.

Heretofore, archery bows have been sighted by adjusting a pin sight on the bow handle in relationship to a peep sight on a bow string when fully retracted or drawn. Thereafter, an arrow is shot at a target to ascertain the differential between the center of the target and the impact location of the arrow. This trial and error process is repeated as many times as necessary until the arrow, when correctly shot, impinges near the center of the target. This trial and error approach can take hours and sometimes days requiring, for safety purposes that sighting be away from people in an outdoor location or a closed shooting gallery. The trial and error technology of the past for sighting an archery bow cannot be used at the counter of a retail store.

The present invention alleviates problems of the prior art and accommodates sighting of an archery bow at any location, using optical/visual triangulation. A directionalized beam of light from a light source assembly carried by an archery bow or an arrow is beamed along the axis of the arrow and impinged upon the center of a remote target. The archer aligns the peep sight of a drawn bow string and the adjacent pin sight on the bow handle so that the resulting visual line of view of the archer through the two sights intersects the beam of light at the center of the target. Thus, the bow is sighted without launching an arrow.

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein the like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout. FIG. 1 diagramatically illustrates one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates an archery bow, generally designated 10 comprising a conventional handle 12, an adjustable pin sight 14, carried by the handle 12 and a conventional draw string 16 equipped with a conventional peep sight 18. The bow 10 is intended to be representative, and not limiting, as the present invention may be utilized with essentially any archery bow for the purpose of sighting it for accurate release of arrows.

FIG. 1 further illustrates an arrow 20 comprising a forked proximal end 22 for engagement with the bow string 16 at knock point 26.

The string 16 in FIG. 1 is illustrated as being in its fully drawn position. The distal end 24 of the arrow 20 is illustrated as resting upon a convention arrow rest 28 of the bow handle 12. The axis of the bow 20 is illustrated as being extended along line 30 toward the center 32 of a target 34, which may be located up to about 20 yards from the bow 10.

However, during sighting, the arrow 20 is not shot toward the target. Instead, the distal end 24 of the arrow 20 carries an optical emitter, generally designated 36. As explained herein in greater detail, the optical emitter 36 is securely but releasably carried at the distal end 24 of the arrow 20 to send an optical light beam along line 30 to impinge upon the center 32 of the target 34.

To complete triangulation, so that the shooting of an arrow for sighting purposes is not required, the archer adjusts pin sight 14 in relationship to peep sight 18 (with the bow string drawn), as shown in FIG. 1, until the archer's line of sight 40 intersects the directionalized light beam 30 at the center 32 of the target 34. At this point, the bow is fully sighted and ready for field use. Obviously, the sighting technology identified above allows sighting of an archery bow at any location, including the interior of a retail sporting goods store.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which illustrates an additional embodiment of the present invention. The components or elements shown in FIG. 2 which are common to those of FIG. 1, are identified by identical numerals and no further description thereof is necessary for those of skill in the art.

The fundamental difference between the embodiment of FIG. 2 and the embodiment of FIG. 1 is that, in FIG. 2, no arrow is used and the light emitter 36 is securely though releasably carried centrally on the bow contiguous with the arrow rest 28. The exterior of the light emitter 36 is equipped with an integral flange 42 which comprises an aperture through which a screw 44 is extended into threaded relation with the archery bow.

The bow 10 of FIG. 2 is sighted using the same methodology described above, in conjunction with FIG. 2.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3 which illustrates the exterior of the light emitter 36 shown as comprising a sheathed positive electrical conducting wire 46, an annular plastic spacer 48 and a male metal stem 50, having external threads 52. The light emitter 36 of FIG. 3 is connected to the distal end 24 of the arrow 20 by placing the exposed wire 46 in contact with the threads 52 and threading the stem 50 into female threads 54 pre-existing in the distal end 24 of the arrow 20. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3A, to complete the emitter circuit, the exposed wire may be passed through an electric aperture 47 of a metal washer 49 and soldered at site 5, the stem 50 passing through a concentric aperture in the washer 49. The two sets of threads are sized to match so that when the threading procedure has been completed, the light emitter 36 is securely though releasably held at the distal end 24 of the arrow 20, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1. When the sighting of the bow 10 has been completed, the stem 50 is unscrewed from the distal end 24 of the arrow 20 and replaced by an arrowhead as is conventional.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4-6, pertaining to the components comprising the optical emitter 36. Emitter 36 comprises an elongated tubular housing 60 of suitable synthetic resonance material, such as nylon. The tubular housing 60 comprises an annular radially disposed wall 62, comprised of a uniform inside and outside diameters so as to define a hollow interior 64 having a diameter equal to the inside diameter defined by the wall 62. The distal end 66 (FIG. 5) comprises a thin transverse wall interrupted by an aperture 68 of relatively small diameter, through which directionalized light passes along line 30 to the center 32 of target 34.

The optical emitter 36 further comprises an annular sleeve 70 comprised of an annular wall 72 having uniform inside and outside diameter such that the outside diameter is snuggly received into the hollow 64 of the cylindrical housing 60, when the optical emitter 36 is fully assembled. The inside diameter at sight 74 is sized to snuggly receive a light-emitting diode module of cylindrical configuration generally designated 80. The LED module 80 is commercially available as part CP-TIM-230-3-10-650 available from Cal Pac Laser, P.O. Box 775930, Steamboat Springs, Colo. 80477. Module 80 comprises a copper housing 82, conventional circuitry and two conductors, i.e. the previously described positive conductor 46 and an unsheathed negative conductor 84. The LED module 80 is powered by two 1.5 volt LR button batteries 86 and 88, which are commercially available and are placed in series such that the negative conductor 84 is in physical contact with the negative side of battery 86, when the optical emitter 36 is assembled. Compression spring 90, which may be of stainless steel, presses the batteries 86 and 88 toward the LED module 80 so as to create an electrical connection with negative terminal 84.

The previously mentioned stem 50 comprises the distal end of an aluminum insert 92, the outside diameter of the enlarged trailing portion 94 being selected so as to snuggly fit into the hollow 64 of the annular housing 60, when the optical emitter 36 is fully assembled. Insert 94 comprises a longitudally directed off-set groove 96 through which a sheathed portion of conductor 46 passes, with the conductor engaging the stem 50 when the stem is threaded into the distal end of an arrow as explained above, to complete the circuit and cause the LED of the module 80 to turn on thereby directionally emitting a beam through the aperture 68 along line 30 to the center 32 of the target 34.

The spacer 48 comprises a central opening 98 through which the stem 50 passes when the optical emitter 36 is fully assembled. The spacer 48 also comprises a groove 100 through which the sheath portion of conductor 46 passes when the optical emitter 36 is fully assembled.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. 

1. A method of visually and optically sighting an archery bow without shooting an arrow: comprising the acts of: directing a beam of light onto a center of a spaced target from a distal end of the arrow supported by the bow in a ready-to-shoot position; visually aligning (a) a draw string peep sight when a string of the bow is retracted, (b) an adjustable pin sight carried by the handle of the bow, and (c) the center of the target.
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the directing act comprises lineally directing the beam of light coaxially with a centerline of the arrow so that the beam impinges on the center of the target.
 3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the beam comprises laser light obtained from a light emitting diode disposed at the distal end of the arrow.
 4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the directing act follows the act of temporarily but securely attaching a light source to the distal end of an arrowheadless arrow.
 5. A method of visually and optically sighting an archery bow comprising the acts of: directing light along a path between an arrow rest and a knock point of the archery bow so as to impinge upon a selected point of a remote target; adjusting the line of sight between a peep sight attach to a fully drawn string of the bow and an adjustable pin sight carried on a handle of the bow so that the line of sight intersects the selected point of the remote target.
 6. In combination: an arrow; a source of light removably but securely mounted at a distal end of the arrow for beaming the light onto a remote target to assist in sighting an archery bow without launching an arrow.
 7. In combination: an archery bow; a source of light carried by the bow adjacent to an arrow rest of the bow for beaming the light onto a remote target to assist in sighting the bow without launching an arrow.
 8. A light source assembly for assisting in sighting an archery bow without launching an arrow comprising: a housing; an aperture in the housing for lineally beaming light toward a target; a source of light disposed within the housing; a low voltage source of electrical energy disposed within the housing in electrical communication with the light source; a connector for mounting the assembly to the arrow or the bow. 